Vice President Mike Pence said he personally accepted Joy Behar’s apology for insulting his Christian faith, but now wants “The View” star to apologize publicly on her show.
“When I heard that ABC had a program where my Christian faith had been described as a mental illness, I thought it was important for me to speak out,” Pence told Fox News host Sean Hannity Wednesday evening. “I did encourage her, and I am still encouraging her to use the forum of that program or some other forum to apologize to tens of millions of Americans who were equally offended.”
“I felt it was important that I defend the faith of tens of millions of Americans against that kind of slander,” he added in explaining why the issue had resonance.
Last month, Behar joked on “The View” about Pence speaking directly to Jesus Christ.
“It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness, if I’m not correct, hearing voices,” Behar said of Pence in a larger discussion of comments Omarosa Manigault-Newman on “Celebrity Big Brother.”
“He’s extreme,” said Omarosa during an episode. “I’m Christian. I love Jesus. But he thinks Jesus tells him to say things. I’m like, ‘Jesus ain’t saying that.’”
In addition to pouncing on Behar, conservatives asked why there was no similar mockery of Oprah Winfrey, who told People Magazine around the same time that she would run for president only if she received a sign from God.
“‘God, if you think I’m supposed to run, you gotta tell me, and it has to be so clear that not even I can miss it.’ And I haven’t gotten that yet,” she said.
Watch above.